Even though Hurricane Sandy was the first storm to caused widespread damage in more than 20 years, Sandy served as a reminder Long Beach Island is in fact a barrier island and is a risk of flooding caused by storms. Concerns about future storms are indeed valid and they should be understood and recognized by anyone looking to buy or sell a home in the LBI real estate market.
There are a few facts about flooding than any buyer should be aware of when looking to purchase a home in the LBI real estate market. They are:
Flooding is an inevitability when owning a home on Long Beach Island or any other shore town. Barrier islands, by their very meaning, imply that they are the first line of defense against any storm. That said, Long Beach Island is unique in that it tends to be at a higher elevation and other shore areas. Most of the flooding that occurs on Long Beach Island will be limited to streets in big storms and most people are surprised to find out that flooding occurs on the Bayside areas first. Overall, t is very uncommon for a home to sustain water damage.
In many ways, Hurricane Sandy has helped to safeguard Long Beach Island against future storms. There have been two major improvements to Long Beach Island since Hurricane Sandy. They are:
Beach replenishment was already underway before Hurricane Sandy made landfall. This process involves taking sand from the ocean floor and depositing it on the beaches. This creates a large and sound do system with a wider beach they can better absorb the impact of a storm. When Hurricane Sandy made landfall, the towns of Harvey Cedars, Surf City, and parts of Brant Beach had completed their beach replenishment projects and as a result, these areas experienced less damage. When the rest of Long Beach Island completes the beach replenishment project, LBI will be more storm ready and better able to handle a hurricane. New building codes and extensive renovations on Long Beach Island have made the area more storm ready. Thanks to assistance from flood insurance, many homes there were previously at risk for flooding have been raised well above the base flood elevations.
